Gun Sales Climb Sharply After Arizona Shootings

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SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Reports from across the country indicate that gun sales have jumped in the wake of the Arizona shooting that killed six and critically wounded a Congressional representative, an incident that has prompted calls from a prominent California politician to restrict gun ownership.

Josh Deaser, the owner of Sacramento County gun store Just Guns, says Mondays tend to be slow sales days, but customers packed his business on January 10, just two days after the deadly shooting.

“We’ve had a large amount of people coming in,” Deaser said.

In Arizona, gun sales jumped 60 percent Monday compared to the same day last year, and in Ohio, sales were up a whopping 65 percent. California saw a 16 percent overall increase.

“There is a fear because there’s this backlash that’s going to come out of it,” Deaser said.

U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-California) said Tuesday she was planning to push for federal restrictions to tighten gun laws in a number of ways, including concealed carry laws and the sale of high-capacity ammunition clips like the one linked to Saturday’s shooting.

UC Davis law professor Floyd Feeney said new regulations may be introduced by lawmakers but likely will have little lasting impact.

“The courts have made it easier for people to carry guns and legislatures have responded to that,” Feeney said.

A CBS News poll shows support for gun control is up following the Arizona shooting, but more Americans doubt stricter laws would have prevented the incident.